Rhaetian Railway

It doesn't get any softer than letting the train take the strain and Graubünden is home to two world class rail journeys – the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express. It should be noted immediately that express in the sense of fast is not the case here – the trains amble along at an average speed of 22 m.p.h. - just perfect for absorbing the drama and spectacle of the constantly changing mountain scenery. Departing from the cantonal capital of Chur to either St Moritz or Zermatt on the Glacier Express, or on the Bernina Express via the Bernina Pass (Europe's highest railway mountain pass) to Tirano in Italy, each railway is an engineering wonder, and part of the track has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in recognition of this fact.

The journey in the spacious panorama coaches of the Rhaetian Railway goes from Chur through the Domleschg Valley, over the 90-metre-high Solis and Landwasser viaduct, through the spiral tunnel of the Albula Valley to Bergün and on to the Engadin to Pontresina. The Bernina Express then climbs up past imposing rocks and glaciers over the highest railway crossing in the Alps - the Bernina Pass.

From St. Moritz/Davos/Chur to Zermatt - from the Piz Bernina to the Matterhorn or vice versa: all this is possible with the Glacier Express. A 7 ½ - hour train ride over 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels, over the 2,033 m high Oberalp Pass. A panoramic journey through the High Alps in the heart of Switzerland. The Glacier Express goes from Chur, St. Moritz or Davos to Reichenau, continuing through the impressive Rhine gorge as far as Disentis. It goes from there over the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt and on into the Wallis region with its glacier scenery and areas redolent of the south as far as Zermatt.